—☦️🇷🇴 UPDATE: Romania's National Cathedral in Bucharest will officially open on October 26, marking the end of a 15-year construction project.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

🇪🇺🚫🗣 EU's DSA promised digital rule of law. In Romania, it empowered an opaque web of government agencies, NGOs, and foreign actors to censor critical voices—without checks, transparency, or recourse.

Censorship chapters of the DSA in action, not the ones protecting users rights

• DSA transposition into local law used to expand local censorship powers

• Romanian National Audiovisual Council meddling in Moldova’s elections

• Rapid Response System (RRS) quietly activated during election times

• RRS flaggers never announced (Romania, Czech Republic)

• RRS secrecy dictated by the European Commission

• Expert Forum: flagger with ties to executive powers

• Fact-checks that are themselves misinformation

• Freedom House influence combined with fact-checker status

• Missing Statements of Reasons in the DSA database

• Wiesel Institute stretching Holocaust mandate into politics

• No Romanian Out-Of-Court Settlement Body — no clear path to redress

• French company moderating TikTok content in Romanian

• Censorship targeting conservatives, Gaza coverage, and even satire

• Platforms ignoring formal requests for transparency

• Only one example of best practices on transparency

• ANCOM (Romania’s DSC) stalling and shirking enforcement

• Platforms (Facebook, TikTok, X) should make full discloser of moderation requests

The full investigation into the abuse NGOs are doing to censor their political enemies under the guise of "enforcing the law" can be read below ⬇️

🔗 https://francezul.substack.com/p/dsa-europes-injustice-system

—UPDATE: Albanian PM Edi Rama announced that within a year, the artificial intelligence minister "Diella" will not only hold a digital role but also be physically present at the government cabinet table.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🤝🇦🇱/🇮🇱 NEW: Israeli investment is increasing across Albania, with new activity seen in finance, real estate, and security sectors.

➡️ Officials report over 100 Israeli businesses now registered in the country, signaling a notable shift in economic ties.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇩/🇺🇦 NEW: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy congratulated Moldova's President Maia Sandu on her electoral victory.

These elections showed that Russia’s destabilizing activity loses, while Moldova in Europe wins. Russian subversion, constant disinformation – none of this worked. It is important that Moldova was effective in defending itself against threats together with all who helped.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇩/🇪🇺 NEW: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Moldova’s commitment to European values, democracy, and freedom.

Moldova, you’ve done it again.

No attempt to sow fear or division could break your resolve.

You made your choice clear:

Europe. Democracy. Freedom.

Our door is open. And we will stand with you every step of the way.

The future is yours.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇩/🇷🇴 NEW: Romanian President Nicusor Dan praised Moldova’s citizens for showing “dignity, maturity, and courage” in their recent vote.

The people of Bessarabia (Moldova) have our respect for yesterday’s vote, which showed dignity, maturity, and courage in the face of pressure of a scale never seen before. I assure Bassarabians Romania will continue to help Moldova! [...]

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇩 NEW: Former president Igor Dodon urged supporters to rally outside parliament, alleging fraud after his pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc lost to the ruling PAS party.

➡️ The demonstration remained peaceful, with around 300 people gathered and no major unrest reported.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇭🇷 NEW: PM Andrej Plenković revealed Croatia will invest €560 million in a new gas pipeline, aiming to boost the country’s capacity to transport larger quantities of gas.

➡️ Plenković also highlighted that 90% of Serbia’s oil is supplied from Croatia.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇧🇬❌🇷🇺 NEW: Bulgaria’s Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov has announced the country will stop buying Russian gas by the end of 2027, in line with EU plans to phase out Russian energy.

➡️ This move is set to halt the transit of Russian gas through Bulgaria to Hungary and Slovakia, raising energy security considerations for the region.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—❗️🇺🇸/🇹🇷 URGENT: US Congress blocks engine sales for Türkiye’s 5th-gen KAAN fighter jet.

➡️ The move could delay the program — unless Ankara turns to Russia or China for engines, until its domestic powerplant is ready.

❌ A major twist in the future of KAAN.

🔗 Defence Index

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇺🇸/🇹🇷 NEW: The United States has formally requested Turkey’s leading drone manufacturer, Baykar, to open a production facility on American soil, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

➡️ The move underlines Washington’s interest in expanding technological cooperation with Turkish defense firms.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—Why does the US block fighter jet sales to Turkey but invite Turkish drones?

➡️ The US blocks Turkey from buying advanced fighter jets and spare parts (like the F-35) due to NATO security concerns and Ankara’s close ties with Russia.

➡️ However, Washington welcomes Turkish drone maker Baykar to open a factory in America because drone tech is considered less sensitive and it allows better oversight and integration.

➡️ This way, US authorities keep control while still benefiting from Baykar’s proven technology.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇭🇷/🇽🇰/🇷🇸 NEW: A 23-year-old was fined 300 euros by a Croatian judge after loudly playing the song “Kosovo is Serbia” on a Bluetooth speaker in public, disturbing citizens on Victory and Homeland Gratitude Day.

➡️ The penalty was for violating public order.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇺🇸/🇷🇸/🇷🇺 UPDATE: The United States has delayed imposing sanctions on Serbia’s oil and gas company NIS until October 8–9, following discussions with President Aleksandar Vučić, according to Serbian state media.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English